When it comes to vehicle surveillance, the conversation regularly turns to license plate capture. But other information, such as identifying details of the driver, vehicle make and model, etc., is often just as important.
In this addition to our Camera Selection Guide, we look at a parking lot entrance/exit, seen here:
And test three key scenarios:
Key ***************
**** ******** ******* ******* ****** ******, light ******** ** **** ********* **** resolution, ** ******** ******** ****** *** glare *** ***** ****** *** ****** in **** *******. *********, ****** * 1-2 **** ********, ***** * ~**' FOV, ***** ******** ****** ********** ** identify ******* **** *** ***** (*** possibly ******* ******) ** **** ** driver ******* ******* **********/******* **** ********.
********** ******* (*** *** **** ****) *** ****** ***** *** ******* images ** ******** ******* ********* *** windows
*** ** ****** ***** ******** ** headlights *** **********, ********* ******* ****/***** and ****** ******* ** **** ********* at ***** **** *** ****** *********** light ** ******* ********* ********. ** nighttime ******* ** *******, ** ********* a ********* ******* ***** ******* ****** or ******** ********** ** ****** ** used. *** *** ************* ***** ******* ******** ******* ***** ******.
********
** *** ***** ***** ** ***** three *** ************ **********:
****: **** ******* **** *** ***** license ***** ******* ** ***********. ***/* are ******* ****** ****** ******* ******* *** *******. ** *** **** ** ******* plate ******* *** ********** ***** ******* ******** ****.
Field ** **** *********
*** ******** ******* **** *** ****** field ** **** ******* ** **** levels ** ****** *** ******* ***** awareness *** *******.
**** ***** ** ****:***** * ***** ***** ** ****, users *** **** ** ******* **** scene ********, ******* ********* ** ******, cars ** ****** *****, ***. *******, details ** *** ******* *** ******* or ** **** ***** ****, *** may ** *******, *.*., "*** *****" vs. "*** ****** ******* *-****."
****** ***** ** ****:********* *** ***** ** **** ** the ***** ** *** ******** ******** better *******, **** ******* **** *** model **** ****** ***********, *** *********** delivering ******* ******* **** ** ***** style, ****** ** *** *******, ***.
***** *** **** ****** ********** ** can *** *** ********** ** ***** of ****, *****:
Resolution ***********
*** *** ******** ** *** ****, we **** * ****** ***** ** view (~** *******), ******* ** ******* of ******* *********** ** **** ** driver **************:
******* ***********
******* ***** *** ***** *** ******** able ** ******* ******* **** *** model ** *** ******* ** **** field ** ****. *** **** ****** is **********, **** *** ****** **** visible, *** *** ******** *****. ** resolution ** **** **** ** ******** vehicle ***** *** *****.
Driver **************
**** *** *** *********** *** *******, 1080p ********** *** ***** *** ****** to ******* *********** ******* ** *** driver's **** ******* *** **********/*******, ****** the *** ****** ** ******* ****** than *** ***** *** ** ******, obscuring **** *******. **** ******** ***** details, *** ** ******* **** ********* than ****** ***********, ***** ** ****** provides *** *** *** ** **** details.
******** *****
** **** ************, ********** ******* *** be **** ** *** **** *** glare *** ******** ****** ************** ***********. We ***** **** ** ****** ** our******* ********** ******* ** ** *************.
*** ********** *****, ***** **** **** report, ***** *** ********** ** ***** quality ******* * ****** **** ******, without, *** **** * *-**** ****, with ************* ****** ****** ********* ** the ****** ***** *** ********** ******.
**** **** ********** ****** *********** ****** depending ** ******** ***** *** ***** of *** ***, *** *** ******* repeat ****-****** *** **** *******.
Nighttime **********
***** **** ** *** ***** ***** are ******** ****** *** ***, **** good ********, *** ******* ****** ****** to ******* **** ***** *** ******* information ** ***** *** ** ****** lighting ****** ** *** *******'* ********** and **********. ** *********, ** ********* capture ** *******, ** ********* * dedicated ******* ***** ******* ****** ** properly ********** ** ****** ** ****. See *** ************* ***** ******* ******** ******* ***** ******.
** ** ** ***
***** * ***** ** ****** ** cover *** ********, ** *** *** obvious ******** ******* ** ** **. off. **** ** ***, *** *******'* tail ****** **** *** ******* ** the ******* ** **** ** *** license *****. *******, **** ** ** and ******** **** ** */**** ** compensate, *** ***** ******* *** **** to **** ******* *******, ****** *** license ***** ******* *******. ** ******* of ******* *********** ** ****** ** night, ********** ******* ***** ****** ** added ** *** ***** ** ****** the ****** **** ***** *** *****.
****** ** **** **** ** ******* driver *********** ****** *** ***, ** night *** ***'* ********** **** *** the *****. **** **** ** ** and ***** * **** ********, **** headlights *** *******.
Good topic.
Ethan, do you think that it's feasible to capture color information and driver details at night using a strobe pulse? Synchronized capture to a global shutter camera when passing a choke point? (On private property/garage etc.)
I've noticed the supposedly transponder based toll system here is now strobing on every pass. I was thinking that they are doing it to get driver / vehicle details, similar to red-light cameras, but I have not heard the technique discussed much here.
One other factor that would come into play when deciding your AOV is frame rate. If you have the ability to capture more frames per second, you would need the vehicle in frame for a shorter period, hence a narrow AOV. If you are restricted on frame rate for any reason, you may opt for a wider AOV to maximize the time the subject is in frame. Even if you capture 50 frames of any given (moving) subject, there will likely be some, or many, of those frames where you find obstructions (A-pilar, tree, glare), smearing, or other limiting factors. The more frames you have to choose from, obviously would be better. But, that has to be balanced with PPF. It is a delicate balance.
